Disqualified MLAs 'will have to find their way': Katti

Bengaluru: Even as the fate of the 17 disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs is yet to be decided by the Supreme Court over their eligibility to contest the bypolls in Karnataka, there is growing opposition within the state BJP against giving them tickets, with a senior party MLA Umesh Katti saying on Sunday that they will have to find their way.

The saffron party, that came to power with the help of the disqualified RPT disqualified MLAs, plans to field most of them in the by-polls on getting respite from the Apex Court, where they have challenged their disqualification.

"Raju Kage, Laxman Savadi, Ashok Pujari (aspirants) are my close friends. I will speak (to the party leadership)... tickets have not yet been issued. When it is issued, let's see...all these three will get tickets, if they dont get, let's see then," Katti said.

Speaking to reporters in Chikkodi, he said Raju Kage had said he would not jump ship to the Congress and would seek a ticket from the BJP

after meeting the party leadership.

Kage had stated that if he does not get a ticket, he would go his own way, Katti said.

"Kage will continue in BJP, he will get a ticket (from Kagwad)," Katti said.

Asked about the fate of disqualified MLAs like Shrimat Patil from Kagwad, he said, "for disqualified MLAs- they have their way and we have ours."

The bypolls to 15 of the 17 seats represented by disqualified MLAs, which the Election Commission had decided to defer, has now been scheduled for December 5.

The counting will take place on December 9.

There is growing resistance from aspirants and party candidates defeated in the 2018 assembly polls against the move to give these MLAs tickets in several constituencies, as they feel tickets should be given to loyal party cadres who have worked to build it, in constituencies like- Hosakote, Hirekerur, Kagwad,

Mahalakshmi Layout, among others.